Ullage rod



Juy 27 1926,

H. C. MANN ULLAGE ROD Filed July 2 5, 1924 if if? Patented .luly 27, 1925.

UNITED S'lilld wn-.....m

HARRY O. MANN, @E LGS ANGELES, GALIFORNIA.

'ULLAGE ROD.

Application led. July 23,

My invention relates to an ullage rod, the principal object ot' my invention. being to provide a relatively simple device that may be readily and conveniently manipulated and which will be effective in givingv an accurate reading oi the liquid contents oi' tanks and like containers.

Further objects of my invention are 'to provide an ullage rod that gives an accurate reading ot the liquid contents oil' a tank or like containenthrough the medium ot a trans-- parent tube within which a column of liquid is trapped when the device is inserted in the tank or container and, further, to provide a device ot the character referred to that is strong and substantial structure and which may be easily and cheaply produced.

The particular form of ullage rod herein shown and described is especially adapted for measuring,- the liquid contents of gasoline tanks at automo-bile service stations, which tanks, to meet local requirements, are located a certain distance below the surface of the ground.

lilith the ltoregoing and other objects in view. my invention consists in the Yeatures ot construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, reference being` had to the accompany drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ullage rod or measuring` device of my improved construction Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 2 2 ot Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 off Fi gore 2;

llligure l is a vertical section taken en the line 4.-4 or Figure 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 10 designates a rod of wood or like material that forms the body of the tillage rod and the length of said rod is such that when its lower end is placed on the bottom of a tank or container the upper portion thereof will project a substantial distance above said tank or above the surface of the ground in which the tank is embedded.

Formed in the lower end of the rod 10 is a substantially rectan ular notch or recess 11 in which is arrange a block 12, preferably ot metal, the latter being secured in position within said recess in any suitable manner, but preferably by screws such as 13, which pass through the lower portion of said 19124. Serial No. 727,673.

rod to the sides oi' the block and enter a threaded aperture lelthat passes through said block. rllie under surface oi block 12 occupies a plane a sl Lght distance above the lower end of rod 10, thereby providing` a shallow chamber 15 immediately beneath said block 12.

Arranged on the under side oi' rod 10 and secured thereto in any suitable manner, pref- .ely by means of nails or screws 16, is a ection i7 oi leather or analogous material hat performs the tu ctions oit a cushion or ,.:liocl: absorber when the device is lowered into a tank or container and the lower end oit said device makes contact with the bottoni oi" said tank.

Formed through the central portion ot block 12 is a horizontally disposed duct 18, the iront end olf which is closed by a. plug 18 and the rear end of said duct communicates ith the upper end of a short vertically disposed duct 19 that is formed in the rear portion of block 12. The lower end of duct 19 communicates directly with the shallow chamber 15 between block 12 and cushion 17. rlChe upper portion of the duct 19 is provided with a seat 2G for the tapered lower end of a valve rod 21, which latter extends upwardly through a longitudinally disposed channel 22 that termed in the rear portion o'l' rod 10. A portion or this rod 21 imn mediately above its lower end is threaded, as designated by a3, and said threaded portion operates in a correspondingly threaded bore in block 12 immediately above the duct 19.

A suitable gland or stutling box 2d for the valve rod 21 is arranged in the top of block 12, thereby providing a fluid tight joint between said rod and block. A plate 25, areterably of metal, is secured to the rear side of rod 10 and @verlies the chamber 22 and rod 21 within said chamber bears against the inner i'ace of this plate throughout its length, thus efectually preventing bending' or buckling of the rod when the same is rotated to close communication between the passageways 18 and 19. The upper portion of valve rod 21 passes through a metal plate 26 that is secured on top of rod 10 and the upper end of said rod 21 is bent to form a ring or loop 27 that serves as a handle for engaging and rotating said valve rod.

Formed in the front port-ion of rod 10 is a longitudinally extending groove or channel 28 and located therein is a tubular mem,- ber 29 of glass, zelluloid or other transparent material. The upper end of this transparent. tube terminates adjacent to plate 26 and said upper end, which is open to atmosphere, is enclosed by a ring or collar of rubber or analogous material. rlube 29 is held in position within the groove or channel 28 in any suitable manner, preferably by means ot rings or screw eyes 3l that encircle said tube and which are anchored in rod l0. The lower portion ot transparent tube 29 passes through a suitable gland or stuffing box 32 that is arranged in the upper portion oi block 12, and the open lower end otl said tube has direct communication with the forward portion ot' passageway i8.

@ne or more of the outer 'laces of rod l0 may be calibrated or provided with a graduated liquid measurement scale, which latter, it will be understood, must be arranged and graduated in accordance with the tank or container in which the ullage rod is to be used. For instance, for relatively small tanks the graduations on the liquid measurement scale may be arranged so as to indicate. gallons and for larger tanks and containers or those of several hundred or several thousand gallons capacity the gradnations may be arranged so as to register live or ten gallons between the marks.

In the use of my improved ullage rod, the rod is lowered into a liquid container or tank until the cushion l? rests on the bottom thereof, and valve rod 2l may be manipulated either before or after the rod is lowered into trie tank so as to litt the lower end et said rod trom its seat and thereby establish communication between passageways 18 and 19. The liquid within the tank or container will flow freely through the passageways 19 and 18, and thencerise in transparent tube 29 to the same level as the volume of liquid within the tank or container'. Valve rod 2l is now rotated so as to cause the same to move downward and close the liquid passageway through block l2 and the implement is now lifted from the tank or container and an inspection of the height oit' the column of liquid within tube 29 and a reading of the adjacent mark on the graduated scale gives the total amount in gallons or the volume olf liquid within the tank or container.

In some instances, the screw eyes 31 may be dispensed with and the transparenttube 29 retained lirmly in position by means of Ushaped loops or keepers that engage said tube and entend rearwardly through the body ot rod l0 and plate 25 (see dotted lines7 Figure An ullage rod of my improved construction is comparatively simple, may be easily and cheaply produced and may be conveniently used tor obtaining an accurate reading of the total amount of liquid contained in al tank or the like.

lt will be readily understood that various minor changes in the size, form and construction of my improved ullage rod may be made without departing from the spirit ot' my invention, the scope 'of which is set forth in the appended claims.

.l claim as my invention l. ln an ullage rod, an elongated body provided with a pair of longitudinally disposed channels, an open-ended transparent tube arranged within one of said channels and extending the entire length ot said elongated body, the lower end oit said tube communicating with a. liquid inlet at the lower end et said elongated body, a valve rod 0ccupying the other channel in said elongated body anc adapted to close the liquid inlet at the lower end of said body, said tube and valve rod being located wholly within said elongated body and a cushion applied to the under face of the lower end of said elongated body.

2. ln an ullage rod, an elongated body provided with a pair of longitudinally disposed channels, an open-ended transparent tube arranged within one of said channels and extending the entire length ot' said elongated body, the lower end or said tube communicating with a liquid inlet at the lower end o't' said elongated body, a valve rod occupying the other channel in said elongated body and adapted to close the liquid inlet at the lower end ot said body, said tube and valve rod being located wholly within said elongated body, a cushion arranged on the under tace ot the lower end of said elongated body and a graduated scale formed on the outer tace of said elongated body adjacent to said openended transparent tube.

ln testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

HARRY O. MANN. 

